Rotatable display device

ABSTRACT

A display device for advertising purposes including an electric motor which turns a first display portion in one direction around a vertical axis freely carried by the first display portion and a plurality of freely journaled wheel members in frictional contact between the first and second display portions whereby the said display portions are turned in opposite directions.

United States Patent 11 1 Horowitz Nov. 27, 1973 [5 ROTATABLE DISPLAY DEVICE 3,031,784 5/1962 Stein 40 1063 x 3,039,615 6/1962 Dihlein et al. 40/33 X [75] invent Mshe Brooklyn 3,231,995 2/1966 Anthony 40 33 x [73] Assignee: Motion Dynamics, Inc., Brooklyn,

N.Y. Primary ExaminerRobert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-L. R. Oremland [22] filed 1972 Att0rneyAlbert F. Kronman [2]] Appl. No.: 228,050

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 40/33, 40/ 106.3 40/128 A spl y device f r advertising purposes including an [51] Int. Cl. G091 11/10 el mo r whi h turns afirst ispl y portion in [58] Field of Search 40/128, 1063-10636, ne direction around a vertical axis freely carried by 40/33, 68; 74/194 the first display portion and a plurality of freely journaled wheel members in frictional contact between [56] References Cited the first and second display portions whereby the said UNITED STATES PATENTS display portions are turned in opposite directions. 3,144,133 8/1964 Poulos 40/33 X 2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Nov. 27, 1973 3,774,329

2 Sheets-Sheet :1

ROTATABLE DISPLAY DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Display devices are designed to attract the attention of persons who will then read the message on the display. Displays which turn in a single direction are old in the art and are therefore of lesser value in arousing notice. The use of two rotational display portions produces an interesting display and a device which provides more than the usual animation of prior devices.

A feature of the invention resides in the simplicity of the moving parts, there being no belts, gears, nor pulleys required.

Another feature of the invention is the arrangement of wheels on a stationary mounting which provides axial alignment of the two portions of the display each turning on the axis and in opposite directions.

Other features and additional details of the invention will be disclosed inthe following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a side view of the invention showing some parts in section and illustrating the operation of the mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the display device shown in FIG. 1 with parts broken away to show the details of construction.

FIG. 3 is a side view of one of the reversing wheels, indicating its method of operation.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the battery holder and the motor housing which is coupled to it.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the battery box.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the invention with parts broken away operating with added display units of various shapes.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the lower portion of the display 7 shown in FIG. 6 taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the display units shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 5, the display device includes a central rod 10 which may be the output shaft of a small motor 20A supported by a hook 11. The hook I 1 may be coupled to another shaft or to any convenient stationary supporting means. The hook l1 and the central rod do not turn when the device is in operation. A short sleeve 12 is secured to the rod 10 by means of a pin or set screw so that it too remains stationary. A disk 13 is secured to the sleeve 12 and supports three spaced radial shafts 14 each of which, in turn, supports a wheel 15, which is freely rotatable on the shaft. The wheels 15 frictionally engage two flat disks l6 and 17, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

The upper disk 16 is freely journaled upon the rod 10 and carries a bracket 18 to which may be secured any type of display material intended for rotation in one direction. The lower disk 17 overlies and is secured to a housing 20 and a battery holder 21 which turn with the disk 17 during the operation of the display device. The housing 20 may be made of insulating material having a square cross section, and supporting an electric motor 20A and speed reducer (not shown) of conventional design. The armature of the motor is coupled to the central rod 10 which is stationary; therefore the motor field coils and their housing are forced to rotate around the rod 10 whenever the motor 20A is activated. Disk 17 is secured to housing 20 and rotates with The battery holder 21 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 4 and 5. Two cylindrical dry cells 22 (FIG. 1) are carried by the battery holder and are retained in place by spring plates 23, 24 and 25. Plate 23 makes contact with the negative terminal of one battery and the positive terminal of the other battery. Plate 24 makes contact with the positive terminal of one battery and serves as an output terminal of the power source by extending upwardly to the top of the battery holder to a position under a bayonet-type slot 26. Plate 25 makes contact with the negative terminal of the other battery and also extends up to the top of the battery holder where it is positioned under a similar'second slot 27. Each of the slots 26 and 27 is formed with an enlarged opening for entrance of motor terminal lugs 28 and 30, secured to the bottom of the motor housing 20.

.The operation of this form of the invention is as follows: Batteries 22 are placed in the battery holder 21 and theholder is coupled to the bottom of the motor housing 20 by placing the enlarged portions of the slots over the terminals 28 and 30 and then rotating the battery holder to move the smaller portions of the slots around the tenninals. This action starts the motor 21 A and the entire lower portion of the display including disk 17 turns around the central rod 10. When disk 17 turns, it drives the wheels 15 which turn about their shafts l4 and this motion frictionally drives the top disk 16 causing it to move in a direction opposite to the motion of disk 17. FIG. 3 illustrates this counter-rotating action. The result is: two portions of the display device are moved around a common axis in opposite directions and at the same rotary speed.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show the display device with advertising display units added. The upper unit3l includes a top portion 32 having a triangular flat section 33 formed with cut-out slots which fit over on upstanding portions 18 A of the bracket 18. The edges of the upper trangular section 33 can be bent over to form a flange 34 for attaching side display members 35 which carry an advertising messate. The bottom portion of the device is covered by a second trangular display unit 36, the geometrical form of each display unit 31 or 36 being optional. Display unit 36 is secured to disk 17 by three wire hooks 37 and therefore rotates with the disk in a direction opposite to the upper unit 31.

When the display device is carrying the units 31 and 36, the reversing wheels 15, the motor compartment 20, and the battery holder 21, are not visible to an observer. Only the display surfaces can be seen. This construction provides no distracting elements and maintains the observer's attention on the messages shown on the revolving units.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a display device for moving a first display unit in one rotary direction and a second display unit in the opposite rotary direction, the improvement comprismg:

a. a stationary support comprising a rod coupled to a supporting means and including a plurality of radially extending shafts secured thereto;

3 .l 4 b. a plurality of wheels freely and rotatably mounted f. an electrical power source comprising a plurality of on said shafts; electric dry cells mounted in a holder secured to c. a first disk mounted on one side of the wheels in said motor;

frictional contact therewith and coupled to an elecg. means comprising two pin and bayonet slot contric motor for axial rotation relative to the rod; 5 nections to detachably couple the dry cell holder to d. a second disk mounted on the opposite side of the the motor.

wheels in frictional contact therewith and adapted 2. A display device according to claim 1 wherein said to rotate in axial alignment with the first disk but motor housing is made of insulating material and in an opposite direction; wherein the pin and bayonet slot couplings also act as e. display means respectively secured to the first and power conducting means.

second disks; and 

1. In a display device for moving a first display unit in one rotary direction and a second display unit in the opposite rotary direction, the improvement comprising: a. a stationary support comprising a rod coupled to a supporting means and including a plurality of radially extending shafts secured thereto; b. a plurality of wheels freely and rotatably mounted on said shafts; c. a first disk mounted on one side of the wheels in frictional contact therewith and coupled to an electric motor for axial rotation relative to the rod; d. a second disk mounted on the opposite side of the wheels in frictional contact therewith and adapted to rotate in axial alignment with the first disk but in an opposite direction; e. display means respectively secured to the first and second disks; and f. an electrical power source comprising a plurality of electric dry cells Mounted in a holder secured to said motor; g. means comprising two pin and bayonet slot connections to detachably couple the dry cell holder to the motor.
 2. A display device according to claim 1 wherein said motor housing is made of insulating material and wherein the pin and bayonet slot couplings also act as power conducting means. 